Lamp-socket.



C. A. VETTER.

LAMP SOCKET.

APPLICATION HLED Dic.26. ma.

L2099909, Patented De@ 26,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

C. A. VETTEB.,

LAMP SOCKET. APPLICATION FILED DEC- 26,1913.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 2.

ML2/o CLARENCE .5a. WETTER, OF PITTSBURGH, PEITNSYLVAHJL.' i

.application led December 2e, 913. s

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, CLARENCE A. Vn'r'rnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county oit Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania., have invented certain new and useful lmprovementsfin Lamp- Sockets, of which the following 'is a speciication.

My invention refers to improvements in the class of sockets for incangescent lamps.

lt has for its object to pr vide a socket adapted to operate for making and breaking the current by partial rotation ot an actuating, stem within the base, by ineans adapted to impart an intermittently partial r0- tating action to the stem, the device being provided with co-a'cting spring actuated elements whereby the completion =of the operation is eiiected to insure a quick make-andbreak contact of currentestablishing mechanism, similar to that shown and described in my companion application tiled herewith, bearing the Serial Number 80.8664. ln said application, the operating stem is tree to move continuously and intermittently in either' direction. In the present invention, the stern is actuated intermittently always in the same direction, by means of co-acting ratchet mechanism and means, as a pull chain, or push bar, for primarily impartin` movement to the ratchet mechanism.

rEhe invention as constructed, and tor the purpose of accomplishing the objects in view, consists generally ot a base'portion of insulating material having the usual terminal connections and the central and screw shell contact portionsfor engagement with the lamp base; an intermittently operative actuating stem; a make-and-break circuit opening and'closing' device thereon having a lost motion connection with the stem; a iixedly attached spring-actuated throw device on the stem; interengaging ratchet mechanism; and means for primarily actuating the ratchet mechanism, as shall be more fully hereinafter described.

Referring now to the drawings illustratinf:r preferred forms of the invention,- Figure l is a vertical sectional view through the socket, indicated by the section l. l. of

ypartial sectional view, similar to mazza:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 3,'in. the direction ot the arrows ai, ai. 2 is a similar vertical sectional view right angles ot lig. i, indicated by the section line il. lll. et Fig. 3. Fig'. is a oan view or the socket, corresponding to i' ig. l, the outer shell being removed. i is a l, teiten on the line l. il. in the direction or the arrows y, Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view,

showing the completion of the operation.

Fig. 6 is a pa lhe line Vl. Vi. oi Fig. 3 l

t the arrows. Fig. is sin view, taken on the line Vl'i. l? 8 and 9 enlarged showing the operative niechan construction above illustrated. collective illustration in detail, sho '1 several co-iwting,` working' parts of ating mechanism in perspective, c' related (Jo-acting arrangement. vertical sectional view, similar r showing a modified construction i push button. Fig. 12 is a par al view, showing the push .button thrustin wardly to etleect the shitting operation. Figs. 13 and la are enlarged detail views, similarlto Figs. S and 9, showing the inechanism utili'ffing;- the push bar operation. Fig. 15 is sectional plan view on the line XV XV. ot Fig. il. Y

In the drawings, the insuiat base the socket is composed of two pare; and o, or' porcelain or other suitable insulating nia-Y terial, tiXedly connected in any suitable manner, as by screws c and I3, said screws extending inwardly from the opposite sides ot the insulating` members a and Y) and being1 tapped into connecting bridge pieces t". Said bridge pieces provide tor the mounting of binding screws 4, by vf'hich the usual main supply wire terminals c are connected with the base.

The lower base member b provided with he usual screw shell Z for receiving` the base (Z ot the lam) D of the usual construction, and having` tie central contacting terminal portion d. Shell 2 is ixedly connected with the base member Z) by the screws 3, 3, one of said screws, as stated, being 'in electrical ce? al sectional view, taken on direction .sectional O' ldi. tail views connection with the mounting for the terminal binding 'screw 4, as shown in Figs. l and 4. One of the supply wires e is connected by its terminal with the said binding screw 4, the other contact wire terminal f being connected by the other binding screw 5 and bridge piece g', with an upper spring Contact terminal 6, fixedly mounted within the upper portion of the socket and tomember a thereof by screw 7. As shown, the inner central portion of members a and b is hollowed out for clearance of these parts and of the other operating elements, as willy beclearly understood.

The actuating element of the socket is the intermittently rotatable stem 8 mounted in suitable transverse bearing bars 9, 9, inserted between the meeting portions of the base members a and and in receiving sockets therein, whereby-the bearings 9 are xedly held in position. Stem 8 is provided with an actuating ratchet wheel 10, fixedly secured to the stem by soldering or other suitable means, having inwardly extending ratchet teeth 11, preferably arranged equidistantly around the inner face of the wheel and at quartering positions thereon.

Freely mounted upon stem 8 is a cofacting actuating, intermittently operative pawl wheel 12 having one or more, preferably two, ratchet teeth 13. Wheels 10 and 12 are conveniently made of sheet metal, the ratchet teeth being punched or sheared and pressed outwardly from the disk forming the wheel, as clearly shown in Fig. 10.

In the construction shown in the prin-v'v cipal figures of the drawings, I utilize a pull chain 14, of suitable construction, having a suitable terminal 15,l which chain passes around.` a circular supporting shell 16, having a slotted terminal 17, with which the end of the chain is removably connected.

The shell 16, which constitutes a partly cylindrical bearing for the chain, and is provided with a guarding fiange 18 at one side thereof, is fixedly connected with the pawl wheel 12 in any suitable manner,lbut preferably through an insulating disk 19 of fiber or other suitable material. Such insulating disk is of the' form shown in Fi s. 9 and 10, and is provided with a shoul er 20 adapted to abut against a limiting shoulder 21 of the porcelain base b', at the termination cf the; intermittent rotation, upon pulling down the chain.

The chain 'support or shell 16, and also the pawl wheel 12, are conveniently connected with the intervening fiber disk 19 by means of anchoring tangs 22, 22, lrespectively, which pass throughl receiving apertures 23 of the disk, and are clenched or bent-over on the opposite side, as clearly Ishown in Fig. 8.

ing mechanism above described,

For the purpose of retractlhg the mechanism at `the termination of the chain pull operation, I employ a retracting spring 24, coiled around Stem 8, xedly connected at one end by its terminal 25 to a holding plate or bar 26, its other or free end being hooked same time allowing the pawl wheel l2 to recede against the sprln pressure longitudi-l nally, along stem 8, su cient to ride over the next adjacent ratchet tooth 1l, .'to make a new hold or engagement with said tooth,

the spring operating to again press the diskl 12 forwardly to seat tooth 13 behind tooth l1. On the back movement, the reverse ro-v tation of the disk 12 is arrested by the fiat face 29 of the insulating disk 19, again seating upon -the inner bottom of the lower inc sulating baSe b.

When .it is desired to utilize the push bar construction illustrated in Figs. 11 -to 14 inclusive, the chain pull mechanism is substituted by a push bar 30 Ahaving a series or rack teeth 31 co-actingl with a segmental rack 32 fixedly secured to an annular supporting segmental frame 33. Said frame thus takes the place of the chain support 16, being 'secured to the insulating disk 19, the several parts being constructed and adapted to operate as above described, with the exception that movement is imparted upon inward thrust of stem 30 against retracting action of spring 24, the spring effecting reverse movement, and thrustingthe stem 30 outwardly for the next operation. The stem is provided wit-h a button terminal 30', preferably of y insulating material mounted within a receiving opening 34 in the lower base, as clearly shown.

The operation of the preliminary-`actuat either by the pull chain or the push rod, effects par- 'tial rotation of stem 8 to a suiiicient extent 'tral loose mounting opening therein.

Laoceofo :ured or mounted on the stem by soldering or other suitable means, having opposite parallel faces which are normally embraced between the inwardly pressing spring leaves 36, 36, oi a resilient clevis, the base 37 of which is i'ixedly secured to the lower insulating base member e by a holding screw 38 or other convenient means.

The conductor block 39, of suitable conducting material, as brass, is loosely mounted upon stem 8, which passes through a. cenV rlhe blocl is provided with a central recess for clearance of a transverse actuating pin 4:0, adapted to provide for initial movement of pin i0 upon actuation of stem 8, such central vclearance being bounded within the opposite transverse shoulders /l-l, 4l, against which the ends oi pin e0 bear, at or about `the time when the stem 8 has been turned for, say, one eighth of a revolution, so as to move the controlling block 34 around to the position indicated in dotted lines in L?. Such action spreads the spring leaves 36, 38, apart, as also indicated in dotted lines, by the separating action of the corners of the controlling4 block 35. rlhe action of springs 36, 36, is such that they will effect the completion of the rotation of stem 8 upon slightly further movement and at greatly accelerated speed by closing inl wardlyagainst the nent adjacent parallel sides of the controlling block. rllhis operation thus effects the completion of a onequarter rotation of the stem, and is performed entirely inde-pendent et the chain pull or push bar mechanism, due to the free movement of the Stem in the direction of its rotation, and action of springs 36 onb-lock 35. As shown, block 39 is. hexagonal in shape, thus providing two faces sloping toward the ends at each side from the widest middle portion. By this construction the movement of the block and its action with relation to the contact springs 6 and 42 is eased and facilitated, in connection with the controlling block 26 and its own lost motion connection with stem 8.

The conductor block 39 is mounted, as described, upon stem 8 for partial lost motion movement thereon by stem or pin 40, and is itself carried around with the stem, by aetion of the controlling block. a lescribcdi, effecting its corresponding ao .ed movement to make or break 'the c rcuit between. the co-acting conductor spring members. @ne of such spring members S has heen described. rlhe other contact spring member 42, olf considerable resiliency, is connected by nut 43 and screw stud i4 .through the lower central portion ci base member b with the central Contact L5 against which engages the central Contact portions a o' the lamp socket d. i

rThe range of resilient movement ci spring 4a?. is sufficient to engage against the end of conducting block 39, as in Fig. 6, to transmit the current, and also to engage the side o block 39, when turned a quarter way around to open position, whereby to hold it inoperatively for maintaining an open circuit., as indicated in dotted lines in the same iigure. The construction thus provides Jfor positively holding the conductor block in either open or closed. arrangement.

The construction and operation will be readily understood from the foregoing deu scription. The opposing portions of conn ductor block 39 being of a suiiicient distance apart will tightly engage the springs 6 and S. i2 when in eircuit-establishing position, as in Fig, 6, and will quickly thrust into such position` by adicto of the controlling block 35 and springs 36, ,"liilrewise, in opening the circuit upon partial rotation of the same, the completion of the movement is eiiected. by the controlling block, quickly throwing the conductor block around out of contact, and to the intermediate open position. rlhe operation as thus described is in- 90 termittent'ly continuous, eecting a quick make or break of the circuit upon a prelirnt nary actuation by the operating mechanism, the last portion of the operation being ei" fected automatically in the manner scribed.

What l claim is:

1. A lamp socket consisting of a two-part insulating base having external contacts ior a lamp and internal circuit terminals, u

nactuating stem, a hexagonal conductor loosely mounted on the stem and adapted engage said terminals,

a ratchet wheel tilted y on the stem, a pawl piece loosely mounted on the stem and adapted to be engaged hy ratchet wheel and operatively connected to the conductor block, a spring coiled abo t the stem having one end fined to a niild member and the other end attached to nel pressing against the pawl piece.l a* to force the ratchet wieel and pa into engagement and to return the piece to position i' tion, and means externally opera the pawl piece.

2. A lamp socket consist"M1 of a twoTW insulating. base having external lamp and internal spring contacts, a h agonal conductor hloclr adapted to eng said spring contacts having a central open- Lw ing and transverse shoulders, an actuating stem extending through the conductor block, a pin through the stem adapted to engage the shoulders ci' the conductor block ,on par tial rotation of the stem, a ratchet wheel lixed on the stem, a pawl piece loosely mounted on the stem and adapted to engage the ratchet wheel, a spring coiled about tho stem having one end Xed to a rigid memcesisively thrown into 'and out of engagement ber and the'otherlend attached to and presswith the spring terminals. 1o ing against the pawl piece,- whereby to hold In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my the paw] piece and ratchet wheel in engagesignature in the resence of two witnesses.

`5 'ment and to return the pawl' piece to normal CL RENCE A. VETTER.

vposition after each operation, and means Witnesses: externally operative to actuate the pawl C. M. CLARKE,

piece, Whereby'the conductor block is suc- FREDK STAUB. 

